SBS to get people talking with a Muslim
take on Big Brother (Brisbane
Times) Nov 14 - A Muslim take on Big Brother will be one of the highlights of SBS’s
line-up in 2018, as the broadcaster seeks fresh ways of fulfilling its charter
obligation to "inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing
so, reflect Australia’s multicultural society".

INTERNATIONAL
STORIES

Abuse

Vatican says investigating alleged abuser
who became priest(Sydney Morning Herald) Nov 19 - Vatican City: The Vatican said on Saturday it had opened an
investigation into reports that a former teenage altar boy, who allegedly
repeatedly forced a dormitory mate to have sex with him, went on to become a
priest.

Turkish marriage law a blow to women’s
rights, say activists (The
Guardian, Australia) Nov 14 - Activists and opposition politicians in Turkey have rounded on a law
that allows Muslim clerics to conduct civil marriages, describing it as a blow
to women’s rights and secularism and part of an ongoing effort to impose
religious values on a polarised society.

Rival same-sex marriage bill to trigger
Coalition showdown (The Guardian,
Australia) Nov 13 - A marriage bill allowing wide-ranging discrimination against same-sex
weddings has been released by the Liberal senator James Paterson in an attempt
to force a Coalition party-room debate about which bill should be used to
legislate marriage equality in the event of a yes vote.

’Kick in the teeth for gays’ (The Australian) Nov 13 – (Opinion: Peter van Onselen) James Paterson’s bill isn’t about
protecting religious freedoms, it’s about enshrining discrimination and should
be rejected.

Winners of same-sex marriage vote must now
govern for all (Sydney Morning
Herald) Nov 15 - It is not uncommon after a bitterly contested election, for the
victorious candidate to announce that he will govern in the interests of the
nation as a whole, including those who did not vote for him or her. It is
typically intended as a soothing message to the country.

Religious protection fight looms over
same-sex marriage bill (The
Guardian, Australia) Nov 16 - The attorney general, George Brandis, has said he will move a new
amendment to allow civil celebrants to reject same-sex weddings as the
Coalition gears up for a legislative fight about extending religious
protections beyond the cross-party bill.

Christians commiserate after marriage loss (The Australian) Nov 18 - Christians have consoled themselves days after losing the same-sex
marriage survey by stating they aren’t called to win, but rather speak the
truth, and that’s what they’ve done.